We found the “anytime” reservation policy on Crystal to be a joke. By the time we got on board we found the only “any” was 8:15. So it was basically a second class, off kilter version of the late seating. Leftover tables and staff caught between both seatings. If perchance we go Crystal again I’d probably just do a late seating.

At home (US Atlantic coast) we usually eat dinner around 6 or 6:30. We enjoy the temporary change in habit on board — especially if someone else is mixing drinks, cooking and cleaning up! Like the flexibility on SB. We can usually get our favorite table if we’re dining alone, very easy to set up a group dinner. Our trivia team had a lovely dinner just last night. I didn’t try to arrange anything similar on Crystal, didn’t get the sense it was encouraged, though perhaps I’m being unfair.

Originally posted by Mabers
Yes, Crystal has 2 seatings (one at 6 and a later one) plus an Any Time option.

Again, no one is suggesting that Seabourn should 'just cater to Americans'.....that would be ridiculous. Opening the dining room even half an hour earlier (6:30) would be a huge help, especially on this side (American) of the Atlantic.

Originally posted by SLSD
oregon50, Judging from what you have posted, I am assuming you will never again sail on Seabourn ships.

GREAT point, if one complains about a lot of things, you would assume they would take their $ elsewhere. Certainly if I thought there were so many issues on Seabourn (which I do NOT, I have had only very good / great experiences on Seabourn - and have over 170 days on the Odyssey alone so the comments on CC about it are surprising) I would go somewhere else.

When we were on the Encore they did open the MDR and Colonnade earlier, and I appreciate the comments about that option. For us, we usually never eat before 8 so not an issue for us, like others, pre-dinner cocktails is something we enjoy about being on the ship and we never know who we might strike up a conversation with. But I totally understand those who want to dine early to be able to go to sleep early or for whatever reason. In port / tender ports I do not need to be the first off, I rather prefer to enjoy my morning on the ship and then head out and return whenever - unless we have a private tour reserved which means we need to be off at a certain time. Just me.

Originally posted by SLSD
It's not that eating at 6:45 is all that important to us. Theoretically, we could easily eat at 9pm. However, we did enjoy seeing few of the productions and we just aren't capable of staying up until 11pm every night and getting up at 7am the next morning. It's only a question of getting enough sleep. At home, I often stay up quite late, but at home I'm not out seeing exotic ports for a good part of the day with a full slate of activities every minute. We had a fabulous time. And we DO enjoy the difference we find around the world. But, point well taken. I probably should not have commented but wanted to assure some that on the Encore their desire for an earlier dinner and show could be met.

The shows will start at 9:45 no matter what time the restaurant opens. Even if the restaurant opened at 6Pm and you dined at that hour if you wanted to see the show you'd have to waste time doing something else until the show started.

Wripro, On the Encore, dinner is served in the MDR beginning at 6:45 and the first show is at 8:45. The second show is at 9:45. It worked well for us. I realize that most are talking about the other ships, but I was just relating that the Encore has a slightly different schedule which worked well for us. If we were on the other ships, I am sure we could adapt!

I do not think that the theater can hold 600 guests. At the same time, it is doubtful that 600 guests would attend a program all at one time. We had 571 passengers on the Encore during our voyage and I would say that the theater was never more than 2/3s full, if that, for the evening programs we attended. The time schedule DID work for us. We had a great time on the Encore.

Many would prefer an earlier dinner time; and most on my Nov. trip were from US and Canada not Europe (sailing from Miami). Crystal not only has earlier dinner times available, the service is faster, so you can go to shows that are also available earlier. On Seaborne O, it wasn't just that dinner started at 7 but seated at 7 that your first course was served after 8 then salad after 8:30 and main course after 9 with dinner service finished around 10 which was after the show which begins at 9:45 p.m. (if you usually eat at 5 , you are hungry at 7 and don't receive main course until 9 which for many is too late). Yes you can have snacks earlier but you will eat more food and eat too much prior to bedtime which for those attempting to watch their weight is not a good option. The only early dinner option is room service but the menu is the same each night for early dinner room service. Enjoyed the staff and service elsewhere on the ship was friendly and good service, enjoyable trip, but will admit that I may go back to Crystal since Seaborne doesn't have reasonable options for those who would like an early dinner.

Originally posted by blaze14
Many would prefer an earlier dinner time; and most on my Nov. trip were from US and Canada not Europe (sailing from Miami). Crystal not only has earlier dinner times available, the service is faster, so you can go to shows that are also available earlier. On Seaborne O, it wasn't just that dinner started at 7 but seated at 7 that your first course was served after 8 then salad after 8:30 and main course after 9 with dinner service finished around 10 which was after the show which begins at 9:45 p.m. (if you usually eat at 5 , you are hungry at 7 and don't receive main course until 9 which for many is too late). Yes you can have snacks earlier but you will eat more food and eat too much prior to bedtime which for those attempting to watch their weight is not a good option. The only early dinner option is room service but the menu is the same each night for early dinner room service. Enjoyed the staff and service elsewhere on the ship was friendly and good service, enjoyable trip, but will admit that I may go back to Crystal since Seaborne doesn't have reasonable options for those who would like an early dinner.

Did you try talking to the Maitre d' (or failing success there with the hotman) to say you want to be out of there in 90 minutes or less? I would think that would help.

Good advice Henry as you and I know but there are those that say nothing when on the ship and come to CC and moan about things that were not to their liking when all could have been dealt with easily and without too much fuss.

Dear Winner
It is always nice to see response from you. You were the first person to reply to my first ever post on this forum, back in 2011.
This is off topic, obviously, I was just thinking about the regular posters here, or not so regular, but long standing, and up popped your post.

I agree that back to back shows are probably hard on the performers.[/quote]

However, if they are professionals (as they are) performing in the West End or on Broadway, generally on two days a week they will have virtually back to back with matinee followed by evening performance. In addition, the entertainers on Seabourn generally only do one show every 4/5 days at most, and that is only 45 minutes in length, plus an occasional drop in spot at a sail-away or other special event. Hardly hard work IMHO.

Originally posted by blaze14
Many would prefer an earlier dinner time; and most on my Nov. trip were from US and Canada not Europe (sailing from Miami). Crystal not only has earlier dinner times available, the service is faster, so you can go to shows that are also available earlier. On Seaborne O, it wasn't just that dinner started at 7 but seated at 7 that your first course was served after 8 then salad after 8:30 and main course after 9 with dinner service finished around 10 which was after the show which begins at 9:45 p.m. (if you usually eat at 5 , you are hungry at 7 and don't receive main course until 9 which for many is too late). Yes you can have snacks earlier but you will eat more food and eat too much prior to bedtime which for those attempting to watch their weight is not a good option. The only early dinner option is room service but the menu is the same each night for early dinner room service. Enjoyed the staff and service elsewhere on the ship was friendly and good service, enjoyable trip, but will admit that I may go back to Crystal since Seaborne doesn't have reasonable options for those who would like an early dinner.

Are you saying if you are seated at 7, your first course is not served until 8:00? I find that hard to believe.
And if that ever happened to me, it would only happen once because I would speak to the Maitre D.

Well personally I really feel for the wait staff trying to adjust to the dining speed preferences of a large number of passengers night after night. Some people do like to have a leisurely dinner and some want to race through their meal. To help the staff and ourselves we try to sit in the same section of the Restaurant every night so we end of with the same Head Waiter. Then on the first night , because of all the talents Seabourn’s wonderful crew have I don’t believe mind reading is one of them, we actually TELL, we enjoy have a relaxing dinner but and would prefer the courses not usually pile up one on top of another. This system had usually worked just fine - of course there is the occasional evening where there is a glitch and we end up “relaxing” a bit more than we had planned but that is no big deal.